Combined vacuum-producing and boiler-feeding apparatus



\ 1,489,397 F. M. PATTERSON COMBINED VACUUM PRODUCING AND BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS April 8 1924.

. Filed Feb. 12. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EY.

April 8, 1924. 1,489,397

' F. M. PATTERSON COMBINED VACUUM PRODUCING AND BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 50 3.3 I INVENTOR;

' i 9 i 4 fia/ u/V/yKVI'EiJO/V. 4 BY 1 @W ATTORNEY.

April 8, 1924. 1,489,397

F. M. PATTERSON CONBINED VAGUUM PRODUCING AND BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q INVENTOR: flew/rum /Y@rr/rsam.

Mania ,6. z

ATTORNEY A ril 8, 1924. 1,489,397

F. M. PATTERSON COMBINED VACUUM PRODUCING AND BOILER FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HH HHI 7 /d Y 9 a I I a 3 g ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNHTE FRANKLIN M. PATTERSON, OF BAYONNE, NEW

COMBINED VACUUIvI-PEODUCING AND BOILER-FEEDING APFARATUS.

Application filed February 12, 2923.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN M. PAT- TERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bayonne, in the county of End son and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Vacuum-Producing and Boiler- Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

As illustrative of my invention, 1 present the same herein as embodied in an apparatus adapted for use in maintaining a partial vacuum in the customary return pipe of a steam heating system and in feeding back to the boiler or generator supplying the steam for circulation through said system, the condensate or water of condensation withdrawn with the use of my apparatus from said system.

In its preferred form, the apparatus of my invention comprises a vertical tank or casing divided by a central partition into two corresponding chambers or compartments connected together at their upper ends by three headers and each chamber having at said headers three special valves whose ports lead thereto, one of said headers being provided for connection with the return pipe of a low pressure steam heating system, another for connection with a feed water pipe leading to the boiler supplying the steam for said system and the third with a pipe leading to the atmosphere. In one side of said tank or casing, each chamber thereof has an outlet for water and an inlet for water and valves therefor, and at said side of the casing is provided a centrifugal pump whose water chamber extends over said outlet and inlet openings and which pump acts to alternately pump water through the outlet opening of one of said chambers and deliver the same into the inlet opening of the other chamber, whereby there is alternately created a descending column of water in one of said chambers and an ascending column of water in the other chamber, the descending column serving to create suction in said return pipe of the heating system and the ascending column driving air and vapor that may be present above it out through the header leading to the atmosphere and delivering surplus water primarily derived from said return pipe, into the header connected with the feed water pipe line. The apparatus also provides means whereby the valves at said outlets and inlets Serial No. 618,754,

of said chambers are automatically operated by the rise and fall of water in the chambers to alternately open the outlet valve of one chamber after that chamber has become filled with water taken from the other chamber and open the inlet valve of said other and empty chamber so as to permit the pump to return to that chamber the water pumped from it into the-companion chamher. In the operation of the apparatus there is constantly a descending column of water in one chamber of the tank and an ascending column of the same water in the other chamber thereof, the water being pumped back and forth and the increment of water due to condensate and water taken from the return pipe line being delivered as feed water, and the descending column producing a partial vacuum in said return pipe line.

One object of the invention is to produce a simple, durable and highly eflicient automatic apparatus for the purposes hereinbefore indicated and one which may be regarded as an integral part of a thermal system of complete circulation.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a vacuum producing apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is vertical section, on a larger scale, through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same taken from the right hand side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a face View of the exit and inlet valves for the two main water-chambers of the tank or casing, the lower portion of F ig. 4 showing the exit valve in position to permit the pump to draw the water from the lower end of one of said chambers and the upper portion of Fig. 4 showing the inlet valve in position to directthe said water into the other of said chambers; said valves when in reverse position allowing the pump to take the water from the lower end of said other chamber and return it to said first chamber Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on alarger scale, through the upper portion of the apparatus on the dotted line 55 of Fig. 1, the suction valve for one chamber or compartment of the apparatus being shown in open position and the like valve for the other chamber or compartment being shown in closed position;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, througha portion of the apparatus and of the pump and associated parts therefor, taken on the dotted line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a face View, partly in vertical transverse section, of the means for reversing the valves, shown in Fig. l, to alternate the flow of water from one main chamber into the other main chamber and then back from this other chamber into the first chamber;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section, partly broken away and on a larger scale, though a portion of the apparatus taken on the dotted line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section, through the same taken on the dotted line 99 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the apparatus taken on the dotted line 1010 of Fig. 3, 10 being a section entirely across the upper portion of the apparatus at the upper end of one of the main chambers therein and showing the respective positions of the valves at the upper end of said chamber when the chamber has become filled with water and the pump is working a ainst a head, due to the accumulation of condensate water taken from the heating system, and is forcing the excess water to a steam boiler connection for use as feed water, the outlet valve for the feed water being shown open at. the right hand side of Fig. 10, the vacuum valve at the middle portion of Fig. 10 being shown closed and the atmosphericvalve or outlet valve to the atmosphere at the left handside of Fig. 10, being shown closed and water-sealed; Fig. 10 also illustrates the Zero clearance of air I attain from the upper end of the chamber before the cycle of operation changes and the suction action commences by the descending column of water in said chamber.

In the drawings 20 designates a main casing or tank subdivided by a vertical. partition 21 into two main chambers 22, 23, respectively, of corresponding dimensions to contain a body of water adapted to completely fill one chamber and permit the di charge of this water alternately back and forth from one chamber into the other chamber, the fiow of the water being automatically controlled by means hereinafter described. The 20 may be provided with suitable manholes and covers 24: therefor, said manholes opening into the chambers 22, 23.

The casing 20 is also equipped with suitable gages 25 (Fig. 3), one being provided for each of the chambers 22, 23.

The novel features of the apparatus reside in the valve mechanisms provided. at the upper end of the chambers 22, 23 and in the valve and associated mechanisms provided in and at one side of the lower portion of the casing 20 and designed to automatically GillQCi/ the alternate flow back and forth of the water from one main chamher into the other main chamber of the casing, as hereinafter described, whereby there is a constant descending column of water in one of said chambers acting to produce vacuum in a heating or other system with which my apparatus may be used and an ascending column of water in the other of said chambers, the water taken from the chamber having the descending column being delivered to the other chamher to create the ascending column.

t the upper end of the casing 20, said g is formed at each side of the partition 21 wish three openings 26, 27 and 28, r spectively, ig. 10), and these openings are provided with va ve seats 29, 30 and 31, respectively, of suitable design for seating the valves 32, 33 and 34, respectively, these openings, valve seats and valves being duplicated at each side of the partition 21 for tie respective chambers 22, 23, of the main casing. Above the openings 26, valve seats 29 and valves 32 of the respective chambers 22, 23, is secured a header 35 which extends across the upper end of the casing and is bolted thereto and formed with an air-outlet nozzle or pipe coupling connection 36, leading to the atmosphere (Fig. 2). Above the openings 27, valve seats 30, and valves 33 of the respective chambers 22, 23, is provided a header 3''? extending across the top of the casing and bolted thereto and formed with an inlet-nozzle or pipe coupling connection 38 connected with the return piping of a radiator steam heating system in connection with which my apparatus may be employed, said return piping not being shown, and said header 37, valve seats 30 and valves 33 being illustn ted in 5. The openings 23, valve seats 31, and valves 3d of the respective chambers 22, 23 are provided with a header 39 which extends across the top of the casing 20 and is bolted thereto and formed with an outlet-nozzle or pipe coupling connection l0 to which will be connected a pipe system leading to a reservoir or the like, not shown, for boiler feed-water, said boiler feed-water being discharged through the nozzle or pipe coupling connection 40 from the respective chambers 21, 22, when an excess of water is in either the chamber 22 or chamber 23 under the condition represented in Fig. 10, and as hereinafter more fully explained. The headers 35, 37, 39 correspond in outline and lie parallel with one another across the top of the casing 20 and are bolted thereto, and said headers straddle the partition 21 so as to serve for both chambers 22, 23.

The valve seats 29 for the openings 26 in the tops of the respective chambers 22, 23 each have a vertical central port or openings, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, and each seat is of disk outline and clamped down between the header 35 and a ring 41 which bears upon a ring of packing material 42, as shown in Fig. 2, said packing material being upon the top of the casing 20 and surround ing the openings 26 therein. The bolting in position of the header 35 results in the seat 29, ring 41 and packing material 42 being securely held in position. The ring 41 is in the shape of a right-angle band, as shown in Fig. 2, located at the upper end of and being integral wit-h a cage 43 confining a float ball-valve 44 which is adapted to have vertical movement in said cage. There is a cage 43 and a float ball-valve 44 for each chamber 22, 23, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the column of water descends in either chamber the valve 32 is held seated and the ball-valve settles downwardly within its cage, and when the column of water is forced upwardly in either chamber 22 or 23, said body of water forces the air from the chamber and into the header 35 and moving against the ball-valve 44 in said chamber, will close the same upwardly against the valveseat 29, as shown in Fig. 10, and close the opening therein so as to prevent the dis charge of water through said opening, the intention being that there should be no discharge of water from the apparatus except through the header 39. The valve 32 for each seat 29 is a disk gravity-acting valve, and each valve has an upwardly extending stem 45 guided within a socket 46 extending downwardly from the header 35. hen the water, which I number 47 in Fig. 10, is caused to ascend in either chamber 22 or 23 against the ball-valve 44 therein and the pump is acting to force the water upwardly and also to discharge any surplus water that mayhave accumulated within the easing, out through the header 39, the water will, before rendering the ball-valve 44 immovable, fill into the opening in thevalve seat 29 and pressing against the valve 32 will elevate said valve slightly just prior to the time of the ball-valve 44 becoming immovably seated against the lower edges of the opening in the valve-seat 29, as I represent at the left hand side of Fig. 10, and after the ball 44 has reached its final scaling position the valve 32 will, by gravity, return to its seat 29, the water pressure hav ing then been relieved from said valve. A limited quantity of water will thus be trapped above the valve 32 and within the opening of the valve-seat 29, and hence the opening only be closed by the ball-valve 44 but by through said valve-seat will not the valve 32, and the valve 32 will become water-sealed by the water above and below it.

The column of water 47 ascending in the chamber 22 or chamber 23, as the case may be, assists in holding the valve 33 against its seat and forces the valve 34 from its seat, so that any excess of water in the chamber may enter the header 39 and escape as boiler feed-water through the nozzle 40.

It is important to note that the construction is such that when the column of water 47 is moved upwardly in one of the chambers 22, 23, the water moves to the extreme top of the chamber and drives all the'air that was in the chamber out around the valve 32 and into the header 35, said valve 32 lifting under the air pressure, and that no strata of air is pocketed within the upper end of said chamber, whereby I attain a complete or zero clearance of air from the chamher. The two valves for the header 35 are shown in Fig. 2, and these valve constructions are identical for each chamber 22, 23.

The valves 33 for the header 3'? are shown in Fig. 5, and these valves are in the form of disks secured upon the upper ends of depending valve stems 48 which extend through guide-sleeves 49 mounted on and I partly in arms 50 extending laterally from the partition 21. The valves 33 are nor mally held in closed position against their seats 30 by means of coiled springs 51 encircling said sleeves 49 and bearing on the arms 50. Vhen the column of water is ascending in the chamber 22 and descending in the chamber 23, the descending column of water acts by suction to open the valve 33 in said chamber 23 and to draw the air, conoensed steam and the like, from the steam heating system with which the apparatus may be used, down through the nozzle 38 and header 37 and into the chamber 22, whose valve 33 is then open, as shown in Fig. 5. This suction or vacuum producing condition caused by the descending column of water in the chamber 22 acts to hold the valve 33 of the chamber 23 against its seat 30, in aid of the spring 51 also acting against said valve, so that the suction is down from the header 37 into the chamber 22, while at the same time the column of water is ascending in the chamber 23. A reverse condition takes place when the column of water in the chamber 23 is descending and the water is rising in the chamber 22, the valve 33 in the chamber 23 then opening downwardly and the suction being from the header 3'? down into the chamber 23 following the descent of the column of water in said chamher. The valve-seats 30 are tubular and flanged at their upper edges and clamped down against the top of the casing 20 by the header 37.

The valve seats 31 for the valves 34 are, also, tubular and flanged and clamped down ea neeasev against the top of the casing 20 by the 39. lThe valves 34 for the seats 61 are 0 disk outline and have upwardly e tendi sterns 52 which are guided in sleeves 53 pending from and integral with the hea 39. The valves normally seat by gravity and each is held seated by the suction created by a descending column oi water below it and also by the boiler pressure system with which the header 39 may be connected, and said vtves 34-. open alternately under the pressure of a column of water a lternately ascending below the a respectively and. containing an excess of water, due to accumulation, be id the 11031211 capacity of the chamber in which the column is cending, this excess of water passing oil into tiie header 39 and thence to boiler feedwater connection.

The casing 20 in its lower right hand side looking at Fig. 1, is formed with tour exit ports 54, 55, and 56, 57 (Fig. 4), the ports 5 55 communicating with the lower end of the chamber 22 and the ports 57 communicating with the chamber 26; and

above these four ports the side of the casing 20 is formed with four inlet ports 58, 59 and 60, 61, the ports 58, 59 communicating with the chamber 2-2 and the ports 60, 61 comninnicating with the chamber 23. Against the side of the casin at the ports 54;, 55, 56, 57 is positioned a dislnvalve seat 62 which has openings corresponding exactly with said ports; and against the side 01 the casing 20 at the ports 58, 59, 60, 61 is positioned a disk-valve seat 63 which has openings matching with said ports.

The seats 62, 63 are rigid in position and have on their inner faces projections which enter recesses 65 in the side of the casing 20 (Fig. 6) to aid in accurately centering said seats with respect to the afore said ports. Upon the seats 62, 63, respectively, are centered the oscillatory valves 66, 67, the valve 66 comprising a hub 68 and four radial wings 69, 7 0 and 71, 72, and the valve 67 con'iprising a hub 73 and four radial wings 7e, 75, and 76, 77. in the posi tion of the valve 66 shown in Fig. l, the wings 69, 70 have once ered the ports 5 55 and the wings 71, 72 have covered the ports 56, 57, while at the same time the o0- sition of the valve 67 is such that its wings 76, 77 have uncovered the ports 60, 61 and its wings 74-, 75 have covered the ports 58, 59. ln the position of the valves 66, 67 shown in Fig. i, water will be pumped from the chamber 22 through the ports 5%,

' 55 and delivered into the chamber 23 through the ports 60, 61. When the valves 66, 67 are reversed in position, the wings 69, 7 9 of the valve 66 will close the ports 54, 55 and the Wings 71, 7 2 of said valve will open the ports 56, 57, while the wings 76, 77 of the valve 67 will close the ports 60, 61 and the e will open the s situation the en from the hainber 23 and delivered into the ports 58, 59.

I the valves 66, 67 e descr ted,

" her 78 of a puin eh is mounted rotary imp cs he 9919,; 110111 the i 3c. H 10 46 and delivers 4- s. i w I l i or pair or said clia. i:

b l ainliier or 23 whose p may be open to admit ti lie so is mounted on is shaft is mounted 1 Q51 .1, 11 in) J' A.- in a s eeve ea lo the cap on or the pump casing and a s inner end has a bearlllul of the pump casing. The shaft 81 is driven from a motor 65 which when in op eration rotates constantl in the same direction. 66, 67, denote members of a triotion coupling for connecting the shaft of the motor witl' the shaft 81. Q11 the shaft a gear wheel s derived for, through suitable connections, reversing the valves 66, 6 The gear wheel 89 is secured on a s raft 9O journalled in a frame 91 (Fig. 1).

'lhe disk-valve seats 62, 68 are secured to the pump casing 7 9 by means of screws 92 and said seats have bearing recesses 93 (Fig. 6) to receive centering pivot projections 9% on the valves 66, 67. The valves 66, 67 are respectively keyed to and derive their motion from rock-shafts 95, 96, respectively, jonrnalled in sleeves 97 fo ming parts of the pump casing. At their inner ends the shafts 95, 96 are hollow and square and snugly tit into slot-like recesses 98 (Fig. 4) of the hubs 68, 76 and thereby becoine keyed to the valves 66, 67. Within the hollow inner ends of the shafts 95, 96 1 preferably introduce cushioning springs 99 pressing under tension against the valves 66. 67-

Qn the outer ends of the rock-shafts 95, 96 are secured corresponding two-armed levers 100, 101, respectively, and these levers are pivotally connected with each other at their corresponding end portions by vertical links 102, 103, respectively, which are at opposite sides 01" the vertical plane of the shaft 81, as shown in 7. The valves 66, 67 are reversed by the movement of the levers 100, 101, whose motion is communicated to said valves through the rock shafts 95, 96. l he levers 100, 101 receive their motion from lifting lever arnis 104 which form a fork straddling the gear wheel 89 and pivotally secured on a shaft 105, said arms 104- being actuated from the gear wheel 89 by means of pins 165 eiztendin transversely from oppcsite sides of said gear wheeler from either side therco't, the gear wheel 89 during each rotation etl'ecting the elevation of said arms 10 1 by carrying the pins 105 against said arms. he arms 10% act against trippers 100 secured between spaced portions of the links 102, 103 by means of pins 107, when the lower ends of said trippers are 1.'e"pec tively exposed inwardly beyond the vertical edges of the respective links .102, 103. During each rotation of the gear wheel 80 one tripper 106 becomes exposed at its lower end between the links 102. 103, and that tripper on the upward movement of the arms 10 1 will be engaged by one 01 said arms, and said arm and trippe during the continued rotation of the wheel 80 will push up ardly on the link to which said tripper is secured. The trippers 106 are alternately exposed at their lower ends and hence are alternately acted upon by one or the other of the arms 10%.; hence the links 102, 103 are alternately acted upon to turn the levers 100, 101. ll hei for instance, the right hand tripper 106 (looking at is at its lower" end in an exposed position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7, the upward move ment of the arms 10st from the gear wheel 89 would result in the right hand arm 101 engaging said exposed tripper 100 and pushing the link 103 upwardly, this serving to turn the levers 100, 101 and in moving the link 102 downwardly. This upward movement of the link 103 also results in the rock shafts 05, 96 being turned to reverse the valves 66, 67.

Thev exposure of the lower ends of the trippers 106 alternately between the links 102, 103 is controlled by the water level in the chambers 22, 2-3, as will probably be better understood on reference to 8 and 9. 1n the chamber 22 is provided a. ball-float .108 secured on a rod 100 held in a casting 1.10 which is pivotally mounted, by means of a pin 111, on a. bracket 112 secured to the inner wall of the casing, as shown in Fig. casting 110 has projecting inwardly therefrom an arm 113, and this arm is engaged by a forked lever arm. 11 1 secured upon the inner end of a rock shaft 115 which is mounted in a bearing sleeve 1.16 screwed into the side of the casing 20, as shown in Fig. 8. The rock-shaft 115 has on its outer end a presser arm 117 which extends upwardly adjacent to the outer side otthe link 103, as shown in 7 and 8, in position to press against the end ojta finger 118 extending laterally from, the adjacent tripper 100 when the link 103 is in its down position shown in Fig. 7 and move the lower end of said tripper 106 inwardly above the right hand arm 10% so that when said arm 104 is elevated by the gear wheel 89, said arm may press against the lower end of said tripper 106, said tripper then being in the dotted posi- 0. The

tion shown at the right hand side of Fig. 7, and by pushing upwardly against said tripper move the link 103 upwardly and thereby reverse the position oi" the levers 100, 101 and more the link 102 downwardly so that the finger 110 on thelett hand tripper106 (looking at Fig. 7) will be in line with the upper end ct an arm 120 corresponding with the arm 117 so that at the proper time the arm. 120 may move inwardly against the said linger 119 and cause the lower end of its tripper 100 to be projected inwardly above the left hand arm 10%, thus so positioning the parts that when said left hand arm 1041 ascends it will move against the lower end of the said left hand tripper 106 and move the link 102 upwardly to its present position shown in F 7, thereby reversing the levers 1.00, 101 and causing the descent of the link 103 so that the finger 118 of the right hand tripper 106 may be positioned opposite to the arm 117, in which position said finger 118 is shown in Fig. 7.

1n the chamber 23 is provided a ball-float 121 secured on a rod 122 carried by a casting 123 which is secured by a pivot pin 124 to a bracket 125 corresponding with the bracket 112, as shown in Fig. 9. The casting 123 is torn'ied with an inwardly project ing linger 126 which is engaged by a fork Y secured on the inner end of a rock-shaft which projects through the side of the 120 corresponding with the eve 116 for the rock-shaft 115. The rock-shaft 128 is parallel with the rockshaitt- 115 and carries on its outer end a ln'esser-arm 120 corresponding with the arm 117 secured on the rock-shaft 115. The arm 120 extends upwardly adjacent to the outer side of the link 102, as shown in Fig. 7, and at the proper time oscillated toward said link for the purpose of engaging the finger 119 of the left hand tripper 106, as hereinbetore mentioned. The rock shafts 115, 128 and arms 117, 120 are alternately actuated from the floats 108, 121, respectively, and these floats re acted upon by the water leaving and entering the respective chambers 22, 23. 1 provide cross-members 130, 131, respectively, above the rods 109, 122 to limit the upward movement of said rods under the influence of said floats 108, 121, and 1 provide shelves 132, 133, respectively, for limiting the downward movement of said floats 108, 121. I

When water is being pumped from the chamber'22 of the main easing into the chamber 23, which is the condition shown in the drawings, the float 121 will be elevated by the inflowing water and turn the casting 123 upwardly, and this will carry the finger 126 against the fork 127 and thereby turn the rock-sha'tt 128 and its arm 120 outwardly in a direction from the link 102 through the rock finger 118 of the right hos-1o per 106 (looking at Fig. 7) for the lower end of said tripper to project path of the right hand lifting arm o that at the proper time the pin 10 ear Wheel 89 may lift said. l ist said tripper and push the A upwardly for reversing the levers 100, 101 alowering the linl: 1G2, aid, shafts 95, 96, reverse the alves 6b, 67, the reversal of said valves under this condition changing the flow of Water from the chamber 28 back into the clniml'icr 22, the

float 198 then rising with tie incoming Water and the float 121 lov ering with the mitgoing water and actingat the pro'aiier 4' A L 1 m 1 ft, fi Q, .Ll: 1- ILL tunc LO engage L .c lingo. lit like JGlo mm a. n 1'- 1': N M

Lulu 111 \al ivk) iooxll'lg all 1 SO as to expose the lower end 0. sad tripper a b engaged by arm .1; again to be rever e r 106 are Weighted their upper ends so as to 101- nially stand Within the respective links 102, 103 and against stop pins 134:, and preterably the lower ends of said trippers arc recessed, as shown 7, to receive ribs formed on the 104-, thereby assuring the secure engagement of said with said trippers.

'le operation of the apparatus h before described, will be understood out further extended are Ways descending 21 in on chamber 22 or 23-, and an ascendia column water in the ,tner chamber, t

i water alternating an one oh; her to the oihor and operating automatically, through the mechanism descrii ed, to effect the alternate reversal. of the valves 66, *3? so that the centrifugal pump 80 y, While rotating constantly in the same direction, pump the Water back and forth from one chamber and into the other chamber.

starting the apparatus into operation i first fill both chambers 22, about half full oil water, and thereupon the pump 80 will pump. the Water from one chamber into the other and thus establish the column of Water to be alternated from one charm her to the other. While the apparatus is in operation, it will receive air, vapor and condensate from the return pipe of the heat ing system with which the apparatus may be connected, and this air and excess t Water must be discharged by each ascending column of Water since otherwise the action olunn of water.

in the drawings, illustrate the column oil Water l-T as having ascended in and completely filled the chamber 23, and this means that the column of Water descended in the chamber 22. The descending column Water acts as a suction piston and pro- 1 the return pipe 37, said column .uces ted with the header iction opening the valve 33 in. the chamber in which it is descending and acting to bind the valves 3:2, 3i for said chamber firmly on their seats and also acting to tighten the vacuum valve 33 for the other chamber against its seat. The descending column of Water acts to draw air, vapor and condensate from the aforesaid return pipe and these enter the chamber above the descending column of Water, any steam enterm the chamber naturally condensing.

descending column 01'": Water in one cliainboi pumped into the other chamber, and in that chamber tile Water ascends and completely fills the some, as I show in Fig. 10. The ascending column of Water acts as a piston and forces accumulated air above it to lift the valve 32 for the chaniiber in which the column is ascending and escape through the header The valve 32 is lighnr in weight than the valve 34:, and hence the air driven upwardly by the ascending column water, lifts the valve lczwingthe valve i seated, and at this time the valve 33 re mains seated. The ascending column of via 'er when rising in the upper end of the .han'iber finally lifts the ball valve 44; and causes said a ve to seal the opening 26 above it, but this sealing of this opening does not take place until all the air has been discharged into the header nor until imited quantity of the Water has entered the header and provided water seal about the valve 32 and its seat, said valve 32 automatically closing after the ball valve 44: becomes finally fully seated. I desire to call attention to the fact that the ascending column of Water drives all air from the clnmbcr and completely fills said chamber, this being important to the efiiciency of the apparatus in producing vacuum when the column of Water descends. The volume of Water in the ascending column becomes abnormally increased by condensate gathered in and taken. from the descending column and hence is suflicient to more than fill its chamber, and this excess of Water after the chamber becomes filled and the centrifugal pump is still pumping into it, lifts the valve 34 (Fig. 10) and escapes into the header 39 and passes thence for use as boiler teed Th e ated, imparting reverse motions thereto, means actuated from the pump drive for operating said valve actuating means and means operable from said floats for setting said valve actuating means for operation.

7. Aoparatus of the character described comprising two corresponding chambers for Water each having an outlet opening and an inl t opening valves for S21 openings, a centril u M pump for alternately pumping water from the outlet of one chamber into the inletof the other chamber thereby to alternately establish ascending column of water in one chamber and descendcolumn of water in the other chamber, means for automatically controlling said valves to reverse the flow ol water lror one a chamber into the other chamber, out-let ports for air at the upper ends of said chambers and automatically closing valves therefor, suction inlet ports at the upper ends of said chambers and automatically closing valves therefor and outlet ports for excess Water at the upper ends of said chambers and self-closing valves therefor, the valves for the air outlet ports being adapted to open under the force of air moved upwardly by an ascending column of water to permit the air to escape, the valves for the outlet ports for excess Water being adapted to open under the pressure of an excess or" water in the ascending column to permit such excess to escape and the valves for the suction inlet ports being adapted to open under the suction of a descending column of water.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, comprising an integral casing subdivided by a vertical partition to create said chambers, and in which the main outlet and inlet openings are in one side of said casing and at each side of said partition and in which the valves therefor are oscillatory valves of disk type and respectively adapted for both outlet openings and for both inlet openings.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the means for controlling the valves which alternate theflow of water from one chamber into the other chamber, comprise floats in said chambers subject to the rise and fall of water therein, actuating means connected with said valves for, when operated, imparting reverse motions thereto, trippers respectively acted upon from said floats for setting said actuating means for operation, and means actuated from the pump drive for then operating said actuatmg means to reverse said valves.

10. Apparatus as which the pump is di. constantly in the same direction and 311 which the means f r controlling the valves which alternate the flow of water from one chamber into the other chamber coi rise floats in said chambers subject to ise and fall 01"- water therein, actuating s connected with said valves for, when ited, imparting reverse motions there to, means actuated from the pump drive for operating said valve actuating means an operable from said floats for setting ve actuating means for operation. i

m atas as defined in claim *5, in

/ pump is arranged to be dri en y in the same direction and in which ine means for controlling the valves which al re. the flow of water i chamber into the other chamber are actuated from the pump drive and positioned :for actuation therefrom by the alterna to rise and fall of water in said chambers.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the pump is arranged to be driven constantly in the same direction and in which the valves for the main inlet and outlet openings are oscillatory valves of disk type and respectively adapted for both outlet openings and for both inlet openings, and which the means for contr lling the said valves for alternatingthe flow of wafrom one chaml er nto the other chamber comprise in said chambers subject to the rise and fall of water therein, rockshafts operable from said floats and having tripper arms exterior to said chambers and to be positioned from said floats. rock-shafts engaging said valves for reversely oscillating the valves, two-ended rocker arms secured on said valve rock-shafts, links connecting said arms and tierewith forming a frame, pivoted trigger arms carried by said links and normally in an inoperative position and adapted to be respectively exposed for operation by the movement of said tripper arms against them, and litter arms operable from the pump drive and adapted to alternately engage said trigger arms when the aims are positioned for operation and oscillate said frame and therewith said valve rock-shafts and their said valves.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New Yorlr, this 3rd day of February, A. D. 1923.

Fltr-iNliZLlN M. PATTERSON.

rom one 

